Truth or Dare
by Pureblood-Slytherins
Summary: Title says everything really. Enjoy. :) Thrawn x Leia.


**Truth or Dare**

"That's my dare" Winter's voice was hard.

"Surely, you have lost your mind!"

The blonde girl shook her head and waved away the Princess' concern dismissively.

"It could have been worse, sis. Come on, it's just a kiss. A quick peck on the lips. That's all I'm asking for. Not a `real´ kiss. Not the kind that matters, anyway. A little kiss to knock him off his pedestal and to see how he's reacting."

"_Thrawn?!_ You're mad! Dad's going to kill me! And how do you think this is going to work anyway?"

To Leia, all of this sounded wrong, like the discordant notes of an untuned piano and she really, really regretted playing that childish game! She had never met Thrawn before, but from what she'd heard, kissing that man didn't sound too appealing. He was an Imperial Officer, a high-ranking one at that. One of only thirteen Grand Admirals. One of those who wouldn't lose a night's sleep after intentionally inflicting harm on others in Palpatine's name. Leia tried to remember his face. She had seen a holo of him once or twice in the news. Well, he was kind of attractive, for a non-human - not that that mattered, of course! She was a liberal, after all! Still, he was no good!

"Well, dear sister, I happen to know he'll be at the art gallery in Vaiya tonight." Winter smiled. "Yes, the one you are going to visit too."

Leia wanted to hit her sister, hard. She really had thought of everything.

"You see, he is a great fan of the arts and has sponsored one of the artists whose works will be featured there," Winter explained.

"And you just want me to go there and ..."

"Yes, go there and kiss him."

"I don't think..."

"That's how the game works, Leia. Truth or dare."

Leia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Winter was so much braver than she was, she couldn't even 'imagine' kissing him, never mind actually doing it! But she had to. Still, if she were caught... and there was no denying that what Winter dared her to do was scandalous, not to mention childish. And she had no idea how kissing a complete stranger would feel, well... she was about to find out.

"Well, it's not like I have a choice."

"There you're right, sis. And don't forget to tell me about it afterwards."

Grand Admiral Thrawn of the Imperial Navy, gazed over framed portrays and lush landscapes. All in all, the colours were extraordinary and the composition was pleasing, the display, however, was... catastrophic. The arrangement of the pieces was irritatingly haphazard, small and large frames side-by-side, some just inches apart, while others were at arm's length and the frames were a disaster too. Irregularity and disharmony surely attracted attention and might work if they served some sort of general theme, but this here was just painful. The Chiss sighed and suppressed the urge to impose order to the chaos that unfolded in front of him. Whoever was responsible for the layout had to go.

She noticed him, dark hair, blue skin, white uniform. He was tall and towered over the other men and women beside him. He studied some pictures and looked just as grim and distant as she had imagined him.

Leia took a glass of champagne. _At least he was handsome, extraordinarily so, and, judging by first impressions, straight. That would make things easier..._

His manners were exactly what they ought to be, perfectly polished, dignified, polite, courtly and formally correct. In short, he possessed every qualification which should render him as a perfect addition to this illustrious gathering. Yet, he was not. With any other being, Leia would have guessed that the reason for this might lay in his differentness. But with the Grand Admiral, this was not the case. Oh no, for that he seemed far too reserved and aloof. He only tolerated them… Leia realized suddenly. And he had no wish to mingle with the crowd. He was here for the art, not the company. A rarity. She took another sip.

And he walked very deliberately and often stood with his hands behind his back. His crimson eyes were sharp and penetrating and the expression of his countenance was not an entirely benignant one, but grave and thoughtful, like that of a man entrusted with great responsibilities. It surely did not take a uniform to identify him as a soldier.

It would be hard to approach him and she wasn't sure about the advantage of her dress anymore as he paid little to no attention to the females around him. She wore an ivory-coloured chiffon dress, decorated with pearl beads around the bodice, which she had laced as tightly as she could and her hair was pulled up in a complex Alderaanian do-up and full of sharp hairpins. She had thought she looked beautiful, now she wasn't so sure anymore.

After some minutes the Grand Admiral started to talk with a man she didn't know. And then another guest approached her, obviously with the purpose of making her acquaintance.

"A beautiful exhibition, wouldn't you agree?" Leia smiled dutifully.

"Yes."

"As much as it pains me to acknowledge my shortcomings, may I inquire for your name, my lady?"

"Leia." She said, without adding her title. She hated it when people were only interested in her status.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady." He said and kissed her hand. _Well, that one moved fast._

"I'm Michael Du Pont. I organized his exhibition."

"A job well done, Mr. Du Pont. Actually, I was wondering about the name of this piece here. Maybe you could help me out?"

"It would be my pleasure, My Lady." He smiled and Leia started to feel uneasy. "You see, it is a rather romantic piece and…"

Leia lifted her hand. "I enjoy your advances, Mr. Du Pont. I really do. But it would be highly unfair of me not to inform me about my station at this point. I am Leia Organa, crown Princess of Alderaan."

"I am sorry, your highness. I wasn't aware."

Leia nodded, and then, out of the corner of her eyes, suddenly noticed Thrawn leaving the exhibition. _No, no, no! He couldn't just leave now!_

"Anyway, I have to go now. It was a pleasure making your acquaintance, Mr. Du Pont."

She finished her champagne in one gulp and quickly put it on a tray, before following the Grand Admiral outside.

To her surprise, there was a large garden behind the visitors' terrace. It was cold and dark and she couldn't make out his white uniform.

_Damn, she had lost him! But he couldn't be far._

Slowly she walked down the stairs and gradually her eyes accustomed to the dark. Then she walked down the path to the lake, which, in the semi-darkness, looked even more beautiful. Leia saw the white clouds of her own breath while overlooking the ice, deep in thoughts. A light layer of snow covered its surface and beautifully reflected the art gallery's light. The garden was huge and there were trees and all kinds of exotic plants surrounding the lake. In the summer this place was probably even more beautiful. Leia shivered. It was so cold here and she had no jacket.

"Why are you following me?" A velvet, cold voice said suddenly from behind.

Surprised Leia turned around.

"Grand Admiral. I..." Leia looked up and then noticed that the Chiss' eyes were shockingly red and a lot more intimidating than in the holos. He was tall and broad-shouldered and looked down at her like she was some troublesome insect. Leia swallowed. Somehow this was not going as planned…

"I.." She opened her mouth to speak but what explanation could she offer? Should she deny it? She wasn't exactly an ISB agent! Or maybe she should just do it. Now. They were all alone. The situation was perfect. Leia stared at her objective - his lips. _How would it feel to kiss them?_

"Yes, you are right. I was looking for you." She slowly came closer.

He raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to expect.

"Because there is something I have to do."

"And what would that be?"

Silently asking the Force for courage, Leia pushed up on her toes, leaned forward and ...before she could reach her goal, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back down again.

"What do you think you are doing?!" He hissed quietly and then scanned the surrounding area calmly.

What was he looking for? Paparazzi perhaps? Leia's mind was on fever. She hadn't thought about that. The media knew that many of the Imperial elite were here today. Thus, naturally, there would be paparazzi here and with their long range, dark-vision lenses it wouldn't be too hard to notice them. The Princess swallowed. A picture of her kissing Grand Admiral Thrawn on the front page of the Coruscant Enquirer was the last thing she wanted. A sentiment the Grand Admiral obviously shared.

"I have to kiss you."

"How dare you approach me in such a fashion?"

"No, you don't understand."

"I understand perfectly." He said coldly. "Go. Or I will have you removed."

"Please, Admiral, I …"

"Princess, I do not have…."

"I HAVE to!" Leia interrupted him unceremoniously. "I don't want to, but I HAVE to! Please!"

They were silent for a while.

"You better have a good explanation for this, Princess." He said and then mentioned her to follow him.

"Where are we going?" Leia asked when she noticed that they had left the art gallery and were on their way to the adjacent hotel.

"Since you are so eager to kiss me, I am sure you would not mind doing it in my room."

Leia felt like she had a heavy stone in her gut. _In his room? Surely he must be joking. She couldn't go up in his room! She was a Princess! The press…her parents. What if somebody would notice them?_

"I'm not sure this is a good idea."

"Finally something we agree on." He said quietly and then nodded towards the elevator. "Penthouse. I will follow shortly."

The way to his "room" was horrible. Leia felt like she was about to commit a terrible crime. Or worse, like a court mistress.

Whatever had happened that the situation had gotten out of control so fast so completely?

And whatever Thrawn had on his mind…_THAT_…was not going to happen.

The penthouse was huge, taking up most of the upper floor. Everything was dark, but, in the far corner of the main living area shone a dim light, which offered enough illumination to make out most of the room. It was one large room, but it was divided into different sub-levels, which could be reached via small staircases. The furniture was all steel and glass and upholstered in grey cotton, all of it was modern and expensive. One of the walls was one huge view panel, throughout which one could see the icy lake beneath. And in front of the window, was a king-sized bed with no bedspread and crumpled grey satin sheets on it. It was very different from the rooms the royal family of Alderaan used to stay in and it smelled of alcohol and man.

"Please excuse the untidiness. I did not expect company." Leia jerked involuntarily as the lights went on.

The Grand Admiral pointed at a table with four chairs around it.

"I suggest we sit down. Anything you want to drink?"

Leia shook her head and quietly sat down and bit her lower lip.

_Why wouldn't the world just open up and swallow her? How could she ever explain this to him without totally embarrassing herself in the process?_

He returned with a Whiskey glass in hand. The ice rattling against the glass.

"Now, would you please elaborate on your previous statement?"

"It was a dare."

An amused smile appeared on the Chiss' face.

"I fail to see why you feel obligated to obey. Why not deny it? Or lie?"

"It is not an ordinary dare." Leia looked at the ceiling. "It's the Waters of Truth version. I have to do it."

"I would not have thought you would do something so risky, so foolish."

"I'm only Human."

"I wonder what you thought to be a fitting reciprocation."

"Actually, I brought this on myself."

"I find you full of surprises, Princess, which does not happen often." There was a brief pause. "Now, if you would please, explain the specific requirements of the dare."

Leia did and then just said. "I think we should just do it."

There was a small smile on his face and then his eyes roamed over her body.

"Have you ever been kissed? And I do not mean by your parents."

"It is none of your business, but yes, I have been in a relationship once."

He didn't look too convinced. Especially about the last part.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

He shook his head and took a sip of Whiskey.

"Was there a time-frame given in which you had to perform your dare."

"Yes. But I would like to do it now."

"I can understand that. But what is in there for me?" There was a malicious gleam in his eyes. "I do not kiss for free."

Leia stared at him. _Was that a joke?! What could he want from her? What did she have to offer? That she spied for him? Well, for that he would have to know that her parents were deep into the Rebellion. That she used her influence as a senator to get support for his projects, or… her eyes unintentionally wandered to the bed, did he want her for pure enjoyment. Did he like that? Young women? Famous women? Perhaps bragging afterwards?_

"Oh, no my dear. Nothing of that sort." He smiled.

"What do you want?" Leia asked suspiciously.

"It is simple really. Someday, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do me a favour. And when that day arrives, there will be no questions asked and no answers to give."

Leia didn't move. "That is a bit risky, not knowing what the favour will be."

"And yet, is not your love for risky things the reason that brought you into this little predicament?" His gaze was cool and assessing; his face as unreadable as ever, but there was something in his voice or manner that suddenly raised all the hairs on the Princess' skin.

"It is."

"Well?"

She didn't really have a choice. Otherwise, she would soon get nightmares and become sick and… Leia nodded silently.

"Good. Come here then." He padded on his lap.

_He wanted her to sit on top of him?!_

All her blood drained from her face.

"I thought… Can't we do it standing?"

"If you want that kiss, you better do what I say."

Suddenly, Leia became angry. _Who did he think he was? Just ordering her around. He made it sound like kissing her was a terrible thing! And he demanded _a favour_ in return - _a HUGE_ favour and now he wanted her to sit on top of him?! He should show some respect! She was after all…_

Then she noticed an amused expression on his face. _So he didn't think she would do it! That she was too scared?!_

Leia stood up and walked to his chair while trying to look confident.

"Here." He patted his lap once more.

Leia swallowed, closed her eyes and then lowered herself down when suddenly he took hold of her waist and pulled her over. Across his lab. As soon as her bottom had landed on his lap, Leia knew that she had made a colossal mistake. This was not how a lady should sit on a man's lap! This was…. intimate. Far too intimate! His hands automatically closed behind her and brought her closer and, for lack of an alternative, she put her hands on his chest. _They were so close…_ He smelled of Whiskey and some male fragrant that somehow reminded her of oak, books and moss. His face was only centimetres from hers.

"So what now?" he whispered.

Leia could barely follow his words, as her thoughts were solely occupied by his nearness and how that made her feel. She wasn't used to this and it made her head spin. All her muscles were tense. Force, she was playing with fire here and he probably wanted her to know it.

His crimson gazed dropped down to her sweet, inviting lips and he let his thump run over them.

"I wonder how your boyfriend kissed you. Those lips look pretty innocent to me."

"He was a good kisser."

"Really? Well, here is your chance to test that theory."

Yes, she had to kiss him. Not the other way around. She…

Slowly, excruciatingly slowly, her lips moved towards his and then, finally, they met. His lips were soft and warm and felt surprisingly good against hers. Well, that hadn't been that bad. Leia smiled, but when she tried to pull away, he held her back and all of a sudden claimed her mouth with potent mastery as if it belonged to him, leaving her stunned and trembling. She tried to speak, but he silenced her with another kiss and, in addition to that, she had provided him with an opportunity to plunge his tongue inside her mouth. Leia moaned. He kissed her deeper and rougher than she had ever been kissed before. His kiss was hard, possessive, passionate and she returned it without thinking. He ravished her mouth with long, smooth strokes and the harder he kissed her, the more eager her body reacted. She ran her finger through his dark hair and pressed herself closer to him, fitting her female curves against his hard body, and then she felt his manhood harden against her thigh.

_Yes._ She pushed against it once. _No!_

Leia pulled away. She was flushed, breathless and her body was weak, trembling, still on fire from his touch.

Silently, the Chiss titled up her chin and looked at her lips once more, which were now wet and swollen from kissing.

"Better."

Hypnotized by his eyes, Leia needed a moment before she was able to fully grasp the situation she was in, but then she quickly stood up. He did not stop her and remained seated.

Leia was tempted to look down at his lap, but just _couldn't._ Therefore she just focused on the grey door behind him.

"Thank you, Grand Admiral."

"No need to thank me, Princess. We made a deal after all."

"Yes." She had almost forgotten about that.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Your theory, Princess." The Chiss explained flatly. "Was he a good kisser?"

Leia gaped at him. "You don't expect me to answer that question. That would be extremely unseemly."

"Unseemly." The Chiss replied with a small smile on his lips. "I think we are well beyond that. But do what you think is right. And there is an answer to that question, whether you want to share it or not."

Leia nodded.

"Fair point. Goodbye, Grand Admiral."

"Till next time, Princess."

Leia stared at the elevator buttons. Tonight's events repeating over and over in her head.

_Till next time…_

**END/TBC ?**

(Not sure yet…)

**Notes:** Yes, that one line was heavily inspired by the Godfather. And I'm not sure if I went a little too far with that kiss, but I couldn't resist. ;)


End file.
